Can I dual boot with xp pro and 2003?

[need2progm]

I installed w2003 server several months ago....Now due to not supported OS and driver issues I need to reinstall xp pro on the unallocated space. The 2003 server is a domain controller and my Exchange server. I really do not want to have to rebuild this server.

How do I install xp with out destroying 2003 patrician?

 

[AJ1982]

I am dual booting XP and 2003 using PQMAgic. Beware though cos 2003 creates paritions which are not compatible with PQ Magic, and srvmagic is a few X's more expensive.

Ta

AJ

===

Fatman Superstar (Andrew James)

CCNA,
(CCNA Cisco Academy Instructor Trained)

 

[wolluf]

There should be no problem (just boot from XP install Cd and install as normal - I would use Disk Management in 2k3 first to create a primary partition for XP) - but you'll need to replace the XP ntldr & ntdetect.com files with 2k3 versions after you've installed XP (as the install will use same boot sector and overwrite these files). They're on the install CD in \i386.

Alternatively, you could use a tool to hide the 2k3 partition while you install XP (then XP will get its own boot sector). You'd then either have to use a third party boot manager (I use

http://www.boot-us.com)

- or just edit the boot.ini on the 2k3 drive to include an entry for XP, so it looks like:-

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows Server 2003, Enterprise" /fastdetect
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect

I'm assuming in this that 2k3 partition is first on the drive.

 

[need2progm]

ok this sounds good.. I have had problems in the past after installing 2003 then xp .... the 2003 was hosed and would not boot.
I assume if I follow your instructions that would not happen.

 

[wolluf]

Yes - ntldr & ntdetect.com are generally backwardly not forwardly compatible for NT based systems (so, the 2k3 ones should boot ALL NT based systems, XP ones will boot all except 2k3 etc). These systems always use the existing NT based boot sector if there is one already when you install - and just overwrite whatever's there with their own version - which if older, will prevent booting of existing newer o/s installation. Just reinstating the latest versions of these files should cure that.

So, after installing XP, 2k3 won't boot - but XP should & you can reinstate the files from there (or do it from recovery console).

PS. You can also create a boot floppy. Copy the ntldr & ntdetect.com (2k3 versions) and boot.ini looking like one I posted above to a newly formatted floppy. This will boot your 2k3 if something upsets boot sector - like file overwrites etc.